X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT

FLIGHT NO: 3-47-71 DATE OF REPORT: 9-8-65

PILOT: L/C Rushworth DATE OF FLIGHT: 8-26-65

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Delamar

ENGINE NO: S/N 107 APU #1 14 APU #2 23

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. NSL Radiometer (experiment 3B)

2. Boundary Layer Noise

I. Discussion of Previous Operations A. A new method of Teflon bladder APU tank buildup was devised to take care of recent failures in Teflon bladders. The tank buildup looks very promising and was installed in the aircraft. (See item II A). II. Aircraft Configuration Changes A. The Vicon bladder tank was removed to install a Teflon bladder tank.

B. Some small chips were found on the magnetic plug in #2 APU ( S/N 21AN) . The APU was removed and S/N 23AN installed. Subsequent tests at the APU Test Stand on 21 give the indication that these were residual chips which finally worked their way to the plug.

C. The yaw SAS servo was replaced ( see Flight Report 3-46-70).

III. Instrument Configuration Changes A. The aft lower panel and blowout panel BLN mikes were reinstalled.

B. Experiment 25 was removed from the tailcone box and experiment 3B was installed. The Millikan camera with a right-angle lens was installed to look in the same direction as experiment 3B.

C. The canted rake was removed from the rudder for wind tunnel tests.

IV. Preflight Events A. APU/BCS runs were accomplished on August 17, 1965.

B. The flight was slipped to August 25 due to wet lakebeds which delayed ship #l schedule.

C. Mating was accomplished on August 24 but flight was not attempted on August 25 due to X-15 #1 flight.

V. Flight Events A. Flight 3-47-71 was accomplished on August 26. A "pop" and "hiss" reported by the pilot during flight was found to be due to an "O" ring blowing out and leaking around the stem of the canopy-seal regulator. Approved By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer